Mandrill
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Mandrill
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Habits: Like other species of baboon, mandrills are sociable animals, living in groups which may number from fifteen to 200 members. Each group contains at least one adult male, five or more adult females, and their young. Some males lie alone, which indicates the likelihood of rivalry between adult males for the leadership of groups.
Mandrills spend most of the day foraging in the forest for food., While foraging, the animals keep in verbal contact with one another by making grunting and crowing sounds. They also alert one another to possible predators, such as leopards or snakes. At intervals during the day. the group will rest. Adults groom each other while the young play.
Food & Feeding: Mandrills eat fruits, leaves,. roots, seeds, insects, eggs,. and small animals. Led by adult males, they begin foraging for food after daybreak. They find much of their food on the ground under stones and among vegetation. Fruit trees are another source of food for the mandrill. Large groups of mandrills, together with other species of monkey, will converge on the trees and feed on the fruit. Within their home range, mandrills are alert to the seasonal sources of feed. The mandrill adept at foraging for food because its fingers work in a coordinated fashion., The mandrill can dig, sort, prepare food, and transfer it to its mouth.
Breeding: The dominant male has access to all the females in his harem, and he is most likely to father offspring. He makes randomly with the females when they are in estrus. During estrus, the female's sex organs become swollen, indicating that she is ready to mate. A single young is born 7 months later. It suckles the mother's milk and travels everywhere with her, clinging tightly to her chest. Gradually, the young mandrill will begin to explore its surroundings. Female mandrills will usually remain in the group into which they we born, butter as the young males reach maturity , they must often leave the group.
Sizes:
Height: Male, 28 - 30 in.
Tail length: 2- 3- in.
Weight: Up to 120 lb. Females are half
the size and weight of males.
Breeding:
Sexual maturity: At least 4 years.
Breeding season: Females come into estrus
every 33 days.
Gestation: 30 weeks
Life span: Up to 46 years.
Related Species: There are 7 species of
baboon. Closely related to the mandrill is the drill, Papio leucophaeus
Features of the Mandrill:
The adult male: displays vivid coloration on his face and rump in hues of blue, red, and purple. The coloration helps mandrills to identify one anther when they are foraging. The male also has long powerful canine teeth.
Female: and young mandrills are
much less colorful than the adult male. their faces are grayish black and
lack any bright shades of color. Females are half the size and weight of
males.
Young mandrills of both sexes have the same coloration
as adult females. Males attain their full coloration when they re sexually
mature.
Distribution: Forested areas of western
central Africa, southern Cameroon, Gabon, and the Congo.
Conservation: Now an endangered Species.
Decline caused by habitat loss, excessive hunting for food, and sale to
zoos. There is a great need for forest reserves to be established for its
protection.
Did you know:
The mandrill is the largest part of all monkeys.
The mandrill's reputation for ferocity is exaggerated.
When a mandrill bares its teeth, it isn't threatening to attack, but rather
showing a submissive behavior.
Mandrills sometimes feed on items that other
monkeys have dropped from the trees.
Mandrills walk on their fingers and toes, so
that the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet do not touch
the ground.
A group of mandrills typically roams over 5 miles
a day while foraging for food. Their actual range may cover as much as
20 square miles.
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